Put Contemporary Music in Its Place

Mr Twomey is to be commended on his article "The Young Composer Today" in which he presents a fair and reasonable argument. My chief disagreement, however, and my complaint of composers and perhaps musicians in general, has been given little mention in Mr Twomey's article.

I believe that while the composer is studying music at the University, he should devote the whole of this period of his pursuit of music, to the development of "technical competence."

A "sound technical training" is founded on (i) the study of the forms, styles, and devices used by the old masters of the baroque, classical and possibly the Romantic schools, and (ii) the employment of these same forms, styles, and devices in the original compositions written. Until technical competence is reached, the composer should not, to any extent, be seriously experimenting with the theories proposed by any of the "Modern" schools of music.

The reason, of course, is that composers of the 20th century are not yet established—many of them never will be—their music is part of what I feel to be a revolutionary, transitory movement, and the material to be found in it will open interesting and valuable spheres to the composer, once he has his feet firmly on the ground. But the student cannot afford to waste his time trying to base security in the art of composing music, on a very insecure foundation, as I believe "modern" music to be.

Once the composer feels that he has a good foundation and knows himself capable of writing in the classical style, he may be interested in branching out into modern experimental styles and in enriching the world with original unconventional music, that has been written with knowledge combined with good common-sense, rather than utter trivialities written with insincerity and "smart-alec-ness." Who do you think you'll fool anyway?

An English student is taught to read, speak, and write his language. Let us compare him with the music student, who is taught to read, perform and write music. The English student reads widely; he is familiar with classical literature and has a fair knowledge of the modern trends in prose and poetry. But when he writes himself, he takes for his model a well established writer, and absorbs the style, and experiments with the various forms used. Only when he is (or has the conceit to think he is) firmly and securely at home in these fields will he, if he has any wisdom, attempt to carry his experiments over to styles like James Joyce, or Gerard Manley Hopkins.

The music student need not fear his listener's criticism—it will not be harsh while he is truly a student, for he is not expected to produce work so original that resemblance to other composers can be found nowhere in it. When he will deserve harsh criticism, however, will be when he sets himself up as a competent artist, and tries to show genius and originality, when in truth he is still but a student.

—"Jancist."